A General Assembly redistricting plan, which will add several new legislative districts in Northern Virginia, passed yesterday, leaving a laundry list of Democratic complaints and upset female legislators in its wake.
The House of Delegates and the Senate each passed their own versions of the bill yesterday afternoon. Now, the two branches will review and endorse the other's plan on Wednesday.
The Virginia redistricting plan is one of the first in the nation to rely on the 2000 Census data, and will add new seats in the Northern Virginia area.
"That is where the greatest growth in the state has been," Del. John H. "Jack" Rust Jr. (R-Fairfax) said.
The new district lines have incurred the wrath of some female Democratic officials, especially Sen. Leslie L. Byrne (D-Fairfax). Byrne's district was redrawn, throwing her into competition with fellow female Democrat Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington).
"Why would you put a female senator in with another woman when you could have put her in with another man that is closer?" Byrne said.
Byrne's district lays next to Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax).
"This is 'gendermandering,'" Byrne said. "It is obvious that the women of the Senate have been proportioned out of the General Assembly."
Byrne also said she felt the redistricting plan was trying to proportion Democrats out of the Northern Virginia area.
The Republicans "are trying to cut down on Northern Virginia's voice," Byrne said.
But Rust insisted the process was done fairly and in no way attempted to create Republican strong holds for future elections.
Robert Holsworth, professor and chair of the department of international and public affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he agreed that Republicans in the General Assembly did not redraw lines in order to preserve Republican strongholds.
The Republicans do "not really have a fear of losing, but this provides them with a great opportunity" to redraw lines in their favor, Holsworth said.
Republicans only recently have regained control of the General Assembly after the 1999 elections, breaking a century old pattern of complete Democratic control. Their majority in the Virginia legislature has given the party the power to control the redistricting process.
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